- What is One Billion Rising 2024: Rise for Freedom?
- How are the countries that participate/hold rising events selected?
- When is One Billion Rising?
- Why Solidarity?
- Why 14 February?
- Why “One Billion”?
- Why Dance?
- Is One Billion Rising the same thing as V-Day?
- Is One Billion Rising limited to women’s groups and the women’s movement?
- What are the guidelines to produce a One Billion Rising event?
- How should I RISE?
- Where should I RISE?
- How do I get started?
- How does my organization join?
- How do I edit my event page on the website?
- How do I pay for this?
One Billion Rising Anthems – Break the Chain & We Are Rising
- What is “Break the Chain”?
- What is “We Are Rising”?
- Are “Break The Chain” and “We Are Rising” free to use?
- What are Global Coordinators?
- Am I allowed to use the One Billion Rising logo on my advertisements?
- Can I create my own merchandise?
ONE BILLION RISING campaigns over the years
- What were the One Billion Rising campaigns from previous years?
- How/where do I share the plans and results of my event?
Q. What is One Billion Rising 2024: Rise for Freedom?
A. ONE BILLION RISING 2024 theme and campaign: RISE For Freedom & Be The New World addresses the devastating consequences of the ongoing vicious systems of patriarchy, imperialism, capitalism and racism in the world today and the destructive battle for power fought over women’s bodies and the body of the earth.
Created by a community of over 40 One Billion Rising coordinators located across the globe, the 2024 campaign urges communities worldwide to utilize art and activism, creative resistance events and gatherings, both online and offline, to demand an end to violence against women, gender expansive people, girls and the planet and to shine a light on the rampant impunity and injustice that survivors most often face.
LEARN how change can happen at “The 2024 Campaign” >
Q. How are the countries that participate/hold rising events selected?
A. One Billion Rising is an invitation pure and simple. It is an energy and movement that belongs to everyone. It takes place where local women and men have decided to organize a rising for themselves and their community. The millions of women, men and children who take part every year do so because they have their own agency, and they choose to. They choose it because they feel this model inspires and amplifies energy and creativity for their local struggles, and because it offers global solidarity.
Q. When is One Billion Rising 2024?
A. One Billion Rising will take place on (or around) 14 February. Over the years the time frame during which Rising events are hosted has expanded to accommodate the growing movement. Most risings are concentrated between early February through 8 March, International Women’s Day, with many activists extending the calendar and hosting events around 22 April, Earth Day.
In Canada, Risings are encouraged to take place around 8 March so as to not conflict with the Women’s Memorial March. For more information about the WMM, please visit their website.
Q. Why Solidarity?
A. Solidarity is at the core of our organizing and a theme that coordinators and organizers around the world view as a centerpiece of One Billion Rising:
- Solidarity gives renewed energy for OBR activists and movements in the face of a worsening climate for women.
- Solidarity gives hope, and hope is hard to kill or suppress.
- Solidarity helps link local issues with national and international struggles of women. Which in turn, helps strengthen and sustain attention from media and governments for local activists and women’s groups and their advocacy work.
- Solidarity connects activists locally, as well as globally – to share on VAW issues, to foster alliances and learning, and to build stronger international solidarity movements. These connections are crucial in giving activists around the world a sense of not working and advocating in isolation, particularly in areas where they face hostile government backlash. And a stronger voice and more sharpened determined will to continue fighting against the global capitalist, imperialist, neo-liberal system that keeps violence in place.
- Solidarity exposes local issues to the world, which would otherwise not have been visible or seen. This helps give awareness and understanding of both local VAW issues and issues where they interconnect globally.
- Solidarity celebrates the strength, power and victories of women’s movements around the globe – mobilizing more and more women and their allies in solidarity with people’s struggles worldwide.
Q. Why 14 February?
A. V-Day, the global activist movement to end violence against women, gender expansive people and the Earth, was born on 14 February 1998. For the past 25 years, tens of thousands of V-Day events have taken place all over the world, raising funds and awareness for local groups and organizations working to end violence against women and girls. At V-Day, we have the outrageous idea that we can end violence against women, and though we have seen many victories over the years, the violence is still prevalent and impunity still reigns. One Billion Rising is a necessary escalation of our global efforts to end the violence.
Q. Why “One Billion”?
A. One in three women on the planet will be raped or beaten in her lifetime. That’s ONE BILLION WOMEN AND GIRLS. Every February, we rise – in countries across the world – to show our local communities and the world what one billion looks like and shine a light on the rampant impunity and injustice that survivors most often face. We rise through dance to express joy and community and celebrate the fact that we have not been defeated by this violence. We rise to show we are determined to create a new kind of consciousness – one where violence will be resisted until it is unthinkable.
Q. Why dance?
A. Many women across the world see dance as liberating and empowering. Women who experience gender violence often hate their bodies and live outside them. The act of public dance can be part of a process of reclaiming and reentering their bodies. It can be a way of discarding shame and fear and coming back into their sexuality and power. It also provides a disruptive, joyful and artistic way of resistance. It allows us to go further, to include everyone, to tap into a revolutionary and poetic energy which is inviting us to take the lid off the patriarchal container releasing more of our wisdom, our self love, our sexuality, our compassion and fierceness. Dancing is defiance.
People from all across the globe – women, gender expansive people, men, youth – from migrants, students, farmers, domestic workers, indigenous women, women workers, teachers, artists, activists, local government officials, and others – have danced in Risings around the world as part of One Billion Rising.
Fueled by dance – One Billion Rising has had a remarkable impact. In Guatemala, the risings produced the pressure that finally ensured any pregnancy under 16 was classed as rape. In Hong Kong, OBR pressure helped ensure a successful conviction of a woman for torturing her female domestic worker. In Bosnia, the risings helped produce the pressure that led to a major investigation into rapes during wartime.
Q: Is One Billion Rising the same thing as V-Day?
A. No. One Billion Rising is a campaign that grew out of V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women, gender expansive people, and the Earth , and has become an autonomous movement of self-determined activists and local communities on the ground. It is an energy and a catalyst that uses art and activism to raise awareness, to mobilize, to engage, to educate, to incite, to awaken and to inspire.
Q: Is One Billion Rising limited to women’s groups and the women’s movement?
A. No, definitely not. As we saw in these past years of the Risings – many groups and movements joined in the call and brought forward the issues they have been advocating for, highlighting the intersecting issues that perpetuate and sustain violence. The LGBTQI movement in countries all over the world joined the call, as did activists from Environmental, and Peace movements and campaigns, Developmental Justice activists on issues of land, trade etc, and the restorative justice movement, among many others.
We have formed new coalitions between existing groups and individuals not only within the women’s movement but also between people’s movements covering diverse sectors including:
Workers Rising >
Men Rising >
Youth Rising >
Rise for Mother Earth >
#SayHerName >
Q. What are the guidelines to produce a One Billion Rising event?
A. Organize a gathering in your community between 14 February and 22 April. Make it as large and disruptive as you can to highlight the urgency of our demand. Beyond that, the possibilities are endless. There are no set rules. Envision revolution and go from there!
Q. How should I RISE?
A. One Billion Rising is a call to survivors and their allies to break the silence and rise in any way you feel best represents the release of your story and the call for culture and system change. You can rise politically, outrageously, and artistically – through dance, art, marches, ritual, song, spoken word, testimonies, and other ways that best express your outrage, your need, your desire, and your joy. Rise In Solidarity in YOUR way.
Q. Where should I RISE?
A. One Billion Rising is a call to rise for your revolution. This can be anywhere from courthouses to your place of employment; police stations to your own home; places of worship to school administration buildings, in theaters and artistic performance spaces, in any public gathering space. Regardless of the location, it is vitally important that you gather safely so please research the specific rules, laws, and potential permits needed for a public gathering in the location of your choice.
Q. How do I get started?
A. Sign up to join the campaign and receive updates from One Billion Rising updates, register your event at Plan Your Event and then gather your team. Reach out to other organizations and strategize how you will all mobilize your networks. Work with your team to highlight and foreground the voices and demands of grassroots and marginalized women in your community; let them take the lead. Create and envision new, brave and radical artistic initiatives to help you create a memorable event. Remain INCLUSIVE, INTERSECTIONAL and COMPREHENSIVE.
Q. How does my organization join?
A. If you are joining the campaign as an organization and want to host a RISING, please email Monique Wilson, and include your organization’s name and contact details.
Q. How do I edit my event?
A. If you already have an event listed but need to change information, go to the events page and click on “manage your events.” You will need to sign in using the email address and password you created when initially listing your event. You will have the ability to edit your event title, description, location, date and time. You will not be able to edit your account/profile name.
Q. How do I pay for this?
A. One Billion Rising events don’t have to be expensive. We recognize that funds are sometimes needed for venue hire, publicity, materials, etc. If you need to raise money, look for local resources whenever possible. Appeal to local businesses to donate their time and services to the cause. Work cooperatively, and create strategies using social networks or crowdsourcing to co-finance. Work with collective ideas or hold fundraising events leading up to your One Billion Rising events.
One Billion Rising Anthems – Break the Chain & We Are Rising
What is “Break the Chain”?
A. Throughout the years of One Billion Rising, activists have used “Break The Chain” written and produced by Tena Clark with music by Tena Clark and Tim Heintz – as an integral and creative aspect of their Rising events. Activists have creatively used the “Break The Chain” song and choreography in their communities. Since it was released in late 2012, the song has been translated into over 15 languages making the message local and accessible.
We invite activists to Revolutionize the “Break the Chain” choreography and create their own revolutionary dances. Communities around the world have adapted, localized and completely re-envisioned the choreography, in many places integrating the dance into their cultures so that it remains current and relevant. These dances (as well as the original choreography) have been shared throughout the campaign, they are unique and inspiring.
Organizers, risers, and artists are encouraged to continue to localize their dance expressions however they want, to envision and create wild, radical dance moves that free and liberate the body, that can move people into defiance, joy, courage, empowerment and community. Include any version of the choreography your community chooses. Or multiple versions, there’s no limit to how many ways you can DANCE!*
READ more about Dance within the campaign
VIEW examples of communities who revolutionized their dance >
*As in years before, using choreography is just suggestion, NOT a requirement or a mandate.
Q. What is “We Are Rising”?
A. Released in 2020, “We Are Rising” is an anthem and liberation song for One Billion Rising written by social justice artist Taína Asili. The song celebrates our collective energy, creative resistance, and solidarity as we RISE against the tides of violence against all women, climate crisis, racism and corporate greed.
“Music has always been the heartbeat of our movements for liberation. With “We Are Rising” I offer women around the world a new anthem to help us tap into the energy, strength, courage and wisdom needed to usher in a new era of justice and healing.” – Taína Asili
The #WeAreRising music video was directed by Asili and features studio footage from the recording session and activist footage from One Billion Rising actions all over the globe. Executive Produced by Eve Ensler, Susan Celia Swan and Monique Wilson for One Billion Rising. It is a call to action, to dance, to RISE.
DOWNLOAD the audio and video, READ more here
Q. Are “Break The Chain” and “We Are Rising” free to use?
A. “Break The Chain” and “We are Rising” are free to use from V-Day and One Billion Rising – but you will have to check local laws on licensing for your specific country to see if that applies.
Q. What are Global Coordinators?
A. ONE BILLION RISING Coordinators are activists around the world who are engaging their communities, their cities, their countries, and their regions to be a part of One Billion Rising Revolution. As long-time activists and V-Day organizers working to end violence against women and girls, they have the skills, networks and ability to help guide local organizations, individuals, lawyers, unions, alliances, and networks in their efforts to be part of the campaign. Most coordinated efforts in their countries and regions for One Billion Rising. These Coordinators, together with their network groups, took the lead in their own countries and communities on how to envision and implement the campaign and did an outstanding job of highlighting their local contexts within the campaign. Please be in touch with them to help you strategize, create and promote your One Billion Rising campaigns.
LEARN more & MEET the Global Coordinators >
Q. Am I allowed to use the One Billion Rising logos on my advertisements and on social media?
A. YES, though it is not mandatory please consider using the One Billion Rising logo on all of your materials. You are able to add your own city/ country to the logo. You are welcome to use the logo for social media pages you create.
Q. Can I create my own merchandise?
A. YES! Merchandise is available in most areas through our One Billion Rising Spreadshirt Store. However, in many cases, it will be cheaper for you to print merchandise locally.
DOWNLOAD print quality logos here >
ONE BILLION RISING campaigns over the years
Q. What were the One Billion Rising campaigns from previous years?
A. One Billion Rising is the biggest mass action to end violence against women, gender expansive people, girls and the planet in human history. The campaign, which launched on Valentine’s Day 2012, began as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than ONE BILLION WOMEN AND GIRLS.
Read about past campaigns here
Q. How/where do I share the plans and results of my event?
A. You can share them on the global site: onebillionrising.org – or if your country, city or community has One Billion Rising social media pages – you can share them there! Also, don’t forget to share your events, photos, videos, posters, statements or memes using the official hashtags for this year’s rising: #riseforfreedom & #1billionrising.
You can also tag us or post to our accounts:
Facebook: /vday
Twitter: @vday
Instagram: @vdayorg & @one_billion_rising
Youtube: @vdayorg
